The 'Hitchcock' actress - who split from boyfriend Nate Taylor last month - only recently began dating the French journalist after being introduced by mutual friends.

A source told the MailOnline that the 27-year-old actress has been desperate to keep her relationship with 30-year-old Romain - who is the former editor of French urban art magazine Clark, and is now the manager of a creative agency - under wraps since they met.

Both Scarlett and Romain are close friends with French tattoo artist Fuzi, who earlier this month tattooed Scarlett with a horseshoe and the message 'Lucky You', on her rib cage.

The couple has been spotted together at a number of restaurants and bars in Paris recently and reportedly couldn't keep their hands off each other while having dinner at the Beatrice Inn in New York last week.

One onlooker said: "They were very lovey-dovey and holding hands under the table all night. They were holding each other while outside smoking in the cold.

"He was dark-haired and slightly taller than her but skinny and he may have been speaking French at one point."

Last month, Scarlett - who was once married to Ryan Reynolds - reportedly dumped advertising executive Nate just days after she was spotted "completely flirting" with one of Lindsay Lohan's close friends.

A source said: "They never officially lived together, but Nate has moved all of his stuff out and back into his apartment. The relationship is over. It has not been amicable."

Scarlett began dating 38-year-old Nate in January after meeting him in New York, shortly after her separation from 52-year-old actor Sean Penn.